Promoting observation, free range exploration, sense of place and citizen science, through the field notes of a naturalist.

Monday, 5 April 2010

Under bark on drift wood

Under bark on driftwood along the coastline between Magor Pill and Collister Pill was where I found the ground beetle Lebia chlorocephala Nb. Searching various publications and websites this record appears to be the first county record for Monmouthshire (guarded statement due to the fragmented nature of coleoptera recording in Britain).

Magor Marsh was at its early Spring best today. A couple of Cetti's warbler were very vocal and mobile, chiffchaff were numerous with other migrants on offer including singing willow warbler, blackcap and several swallow. On the pond were a dozen teal and three tufted duck. A little egret alternated between water's edge and meadow and some good examples of scarlet elf cups were showing. On the people front -not forgeting humans are part of biodiversity as well - good views of GWT stalwart Rodney Morris were on offer before he took off towards the pond.

Usual bag of birds on coastal walk between Magor Pill to Collister Pill with 170 shelduck, 9 oystercatcher, an odd swallow and a skylark in song. Returning home past Magor Marsh I noted a healthy group of feeding GWT work party volunteers had decended on the car park area.

'My own primary motivation for protecting the environment has nothing to do with economics. It is deeply rooted in the pleasure I derive from contact with the natural world, and the moral conviction that we hold the environment in trust for future generations'. Professor Sir John Lawton CBE FRS (2010)